Chapter 41: Her name is Yao Xi

Her name is Yao Xi. She has a brother, his name is Lin Mo. He isn’t her biological brother, but he loves her very much. But then, something happened. After that day, he never came back. She was already an unlucky person, and what’s even more unfortunate is that she lost the brother who loved her the most…

That day…

Hmph! At least you know your place!

Don’t think you’re better just because you’re taller!

And you keep insisting that you’re Lin Mo! If he’s Lin Mo, then who is my brother? There can only be one Lin Mo in Lin City.

Even so, little Yao Xi still called her brother right away, but all she heard was the beeping tone—her brother didn’t answer.

That’s odd…

But Yao Xi didn’t forget her brother’s instructions. First, she finished her homework. After she was done, she sat dazed on the chair in his room. As the night got later and her brother still hadn’t come back—when they had clearly made plans—she looked at the two phone cases in her hands. She had secretly saved up her allowance for a long time to order these two custom cases.

The pattern was of their dad holding the hands of the two little ones—her and Brother Lin Mo, one on each side of their father. But there was a little secret in the design. On the surface, it looked like their dad was holding their hands, but under certain light, you could see that Xi Xi and Dad had swapped positions, so Xi Xi was in the middle, with both Dad and her brother holding her hands.

She considered herself unlucky, but in some ways, she also felt she was wrapped in happiness every single day.

Because she’d hidden a little thought in the design, Xi Xi wanted to give one of the cases to her brother. That’s why it took her so long.

Xi Xi yawned. Seeing that her brother still wasn’t home, she called him again.

This time, after just a single ring, a cold, mechanical voice said: “The number you dialed is not available…”

Xi Xi couldn’t help but pout.

Did her brother forget there was something important today?

Why hasn’t he come home so late?

In the small, empty room, Xi Xi suddenly felt a bit cold. She crawled onto her brother’s bed, wrapped herself in his usual blanket, and stared at the alarm clock on the desk. Whenever she heard footsteps in the hallway, she’d dash over, hoping to give her brother a surprise.

But every time, it wasn’t Brother Lin Mo.

No, this won’t do. It’s already too late. If this goes on, she’ll miss the important day.

She could only hurriedly grab her phone, calling her brother as she rushed out.

Even though her brother had told her not to go out alone at night.

But if she waited any longer, she’d miss today, and that was a mistake she could never forgive herself for.

There weren’t many people on the road. Thankfully, there were streetlights. She actually got scared when there were too many people.

They lived in a small place. She’d heard that in big cities, the nights were bright as day with all the lights. Someday, she and her brother would go to see those places, too.

Her brother had a chance to go to a high school in a city like that. But she knew he’d never go—because it was too far from home.

Thinking this, she dialed her brother’s number again.

“Brother, what are you doing! Why aren’t you answering the phone!”

Xi Xi suddenly felt a bit panicked, for no reason remembering that cold, tall guy who’d shown up at their house, much taller than her brother.

But quickly, she comforted herself: He’s the brother? Then who is Brother Lin Mo? No way, it’s fine, my brother isn’t a monster—how could he turn into someone else.

Xi Xi walked quickly, glancing back from time to time. There was nothing there, but she still felt like someone was following her. Gradually, she started jogging, but thanks to scaring herself, she soon arrived at her destination.

As if she was about to spill out all her grievances: “Dad, Xi Xi came to see you! Don’t ask why brother didn’t come with Xi Xi! Brother’s turned bad!”

“Dad, look at this! Xi Xi had these phone cases custom-made! Aren’t they pretty!”

“Dad, you’re not mad at Xi Xi, right… Dad, you’re in the middle, but sometimes Xi Xi… all these years… Brother’s taken great care of Xi Xi… Mm…”

“Dad, something happened lately that made Xi Xi really sad. A girl in my class seems to like brother… I hate her… People say if you like someone, you’ll go with them. I don’t want anyone else to like brother. He’s my brother. Why should anyone else like him?”

“Xi Xi couldn’t take it, so I told everyone that Brother Lin Mo isn’t my real brother, that he’s not even registered in the household. They were really shocked. The girls in class came to ask me, even if it’s true, why did I say it out loud?”

“She asked what I meant, but actually, Xi Xi can’t really explain it either. Anyway, no one else is allowed to like brother.”

“Dad, what does it mean to like someone?”

“What does she like about brother?”

“She says every day she sees Brother Lin Mo, she feels happy and wants to sit at the same desk as him and listen to him explain things. Liar. If that’s all it takes, then Xi Xi likes brother too?”

“I don’t even know where brother went…”

“Dad, Xi Xi is going home now. If I go back late, brother will worry. Maybe he’s already waiting for Xi Xi at home…”

As soon as she got home, Yao Xi ran into Lin Mo’s room: “Brother! You’re back!”

He wasn’t back.

Anxious.

No answer on the phone.

For a moment, she even thought about calling the police.

But then she thought, her brother is so strong—almost invincible in her eyes. His fists are as big as sandbags; she’s seen it herself.

The days of November were getting colder.

Xi Xi didn’t eat dinner. She wanted to wait for Lin Mo to come back and eat together. She waited and waited, curled up in his blanket, and eventually fell asleep.

In her dream, Brother Lin Mo stared at her coldly, saying one word at a time: Can you please stop calling me brother? It’s disgusting.

“No, it’s not like that!”

“Brother!”

She woke with a start, and instinctively reached out her small arms to the side: “Brother, Xi Xi had a nightmare, I’m scared.”

Empty.

The nightmare was terrifying, but what was worse was waking up to find that it was all true.

Little Yao Xi shot up, not even bothering to put on her shoes, running and shouting: “Brother! Are you back yet?”

Not in the kitchen.

Not in Dad’s room either.

Definitely not in Xi Xi’s room.

Xi Xi opened the door and waited in the hallway for a long time.

She didn’t go to school, just sat there waiting and waiting. Every time she heard the door downstairs open, she’d run down to check if Lin Mo had come back.

She wondered, did her brother really run into bad people?

Bad people… That’s right!

That cold-faced tall brother!

Little Yao Xi was so anxious she was about to cry, finally realizing how stupid she’d been! He’d come into their house, and Lin Mo hadn’t been there… and he was so much taller than Brother Lin Mo…

Call the police!

Little Yao Xi’s fingers trembled as she dialed, her voice choked with childish sobs: “Uncle police! Please help my brother! My brother was taken by another tall brother… wuu… I haven’t seen him since after school, the last time I saw him was yesterday morning when he took me to school…”